It’s been another huge week for the Cambridge Stud team with Group I success courtesy of Snazzytavi, a new stakes-winner for Embellish in homebred mare Luberon and a new stakes-winner bred and sold by the farm in El Castello.
Our pride and joy Snazzytavi crowned her meteoric rise to the top with an emphatic victory in the G1 Livamol Classic at Te Rapa.
The Tavistock mare was making just her 13th career appearance and had no trouble overcoming the outside barrier to be in a league of her own at the end of 2040 metres, delivering her seventh success.
Snazzytavi has been expertly handled for us by Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall and was given a gem of a ride by Warren Kennedy, who was able to settle the five-year-old back of midfield and one off the fence.
“I was a little bit skeptical from the draw and her first time at weight-for-age, but she is a mare who is improving all the time,” Kennedy said.
“It was pretty special and she quickened really smartly. I was right behind Campionessa and One Bold Cat to get a trail into the race and she just put them to bed between the 400 and 200.
“I think she can now compete in these big Group 1 weight-for-age races and be a live contender in any race she lines up in.”
The winner of last season’s G3 Easter Handicap, Snazzytavi had improved across the top and when Kennedy asked her for the supreme effort, she quickly put the issue beyond doubt to waltz home by three and a-half lengths.
“I’m just so chuffed for the horse, she’s very, very good and she’ll only get better,” Richardson said.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better ride, it was awesome. All Group 1s are special and this one is another massive thrill.”
Richardson, who has prepared 11 winners at the highest level, said Snazzytavi had now earned a break.
“We’ll sit down with Brendan and Jo and the team to see what we do,” he said.
Snazzytavi was bred by Gordon Cunningham under his Suncroft Bloodstock banner and we purchased her privately out of the trials.
“You always need a bit of luck in this game and we had it this week. Having the race moved from Hastings to Te Rapa was bad luck for some people, but good luck for us because our horse loves this track. She’s had four starts here now for four wins.”
Snazzytavi is a daughter of the Zabeel mare Ritzy Lady, who won six races including the Listed New Zealand St Leger and finished runner-up in the G2 Counties Cup.
Homebred Luberon completed a hugely satisfying weekend for us when she claimed her first black type success with a deserved victory in the G3 Sweynesse Stakes at Rotorua.
The daughter of our young stallion Embellish, who had previously placed in the G2 Auckland Guineas and Listed Challenge Stakes, left her weight-for-age rivals struggling in her wake at the end of the 1215 metre contest.
The mare followed the outstanding winning lead at Te Rapa of G1 Livamol Classic winner Snazzytavi and El Castello, who took an impressive step toward top-flight targets when he triumphed in the G3 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill.
“She’s probably just fulfilling the promise she’s shown as a three-year-old, a few things went wrong so this is very pleasing,” private trainer Lance Noble said.
“She is a great advertisement for Embellish, and it tops off a great weekend for Cambridge Stud.”
Luberon is now unbeaten in two appearances this preparation following her gallant first-up win at Ellerslie in Rating 75 company and a rise in class at Rotorua was completed in style.
She settled behind the leading pack before improving widest across the top and comfortably slipped into overdrive for Warren Kennedy in the run home to score by a widening 2.8l and her fifth victory from 10 outings.
“Since we’ve brought her back to the sprints, I think she’s found her niche,” Kennedy said.
“Lance put those cheek pieces on her and it’s done the trick, they went at a good pace up front and she was a little bit fierce for me.
“When she saw daylight, she’s picked them up really quickly and easily, it was just a hands and heels ride.”
Luberon is a daughter of the unraced Fastnet Rock mare Elegant Achiever, whose pedigree page includes the European Group winners Wunder’s Dream, Grecian Dancer, Muffri’ha, Asymetric and Mill Stream on her pedigree page.
Elegant Achiever’s half-brother to Embellish named Ginza was purchased by Te Akau’s David Ellis for $80,000 at Karaka last year.
The mare also a two-year-old son of Embellish, So We Go, and the mare is due to foal to Almanzor.
Emerging three-year-old El Castello completed a hat-trick of wins in grand style when he trounced his rivals in the G3 Gloaming Stakes over 1800 metres at Rosehill.
The Cambridge Stud-bred son of Dundeel has made impressive progress this preparation with a first-up maiden success at Warwick Farm followed by a Midway win at Randwick before he claimed top honours in the age group feature over 1800 metres.
El Castello has now deservedly earned a crack at the G1 Spring Champion Stakes in a fortnight’s time before a possible tilt at the G1 VRC Derby.
“Each win that he’s had has been a training gallop toward the Champion Stakes. He’s improved every time and he’ll improve off this,” trainer Anthony Cummings said.
“This was the first time he put a field away. He’s usually hanging around waiting for something to challenge him and it was a very good ride.”
El Castello kept the leaders within his sights before rounding off strongly in the run home for rider Josh Parr.
“He travelled really nicely in a beautiful position and showed a turn of foot that was obviously unparalleled,” he said.
“I’m very pleased with him. He’s just taken the natural progression each time I’ve sat on him. I’m really pleased with this horse.
“He’s got the perfect temperament for the 2000 metres and then possibly the Derby trip. If we can keep a lid on him, keep him nice and settled pre-race, we’re well and truly in business.”
We sold El Castello to Cummings for A$220,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale with his dam the Fastnet Rock mare Word Games.
She is a half-sister to Fiveandahalfstar, who the Randwick trainer prepared to claim Group 1 titles in the BMW Stakes and the VRC Derby.
Word Games produced a half-sister by Almanzor to El Castello last season and recently produced another filly by Wootton Bassett before visiting Chaldean.
